Bloomberg Business of Sports Super Bowl Gives Prediction Bets Record Trading Day; Charlotte Hornets' Shelly Cayette-Weston
Feb 13, 2026
Denitsa Tskeova, a Bloomberg cross-asset reporter, on the record surge in Super Bowl prediction-market trading and market mechanics. Shelly Kayett-Weston, Hornets business chief, on rookie impact, ownership momentum, and new facility investments. Mike Kearney, CEO of On Deck Partners, on buying minor-league clubs and scaling community-focused baseball operations.
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Prediction Markets Exploded On Super Bowl Day
- Prediction markets saw a huge surge around the Super Bowl, with Kalshi posting a record day and Polymarket adding to $1.2B in Sunday volume.
- The activity included sports and entertainment markets, showing broader engagement beyond traditional bets.
Combo Bets And App Growth Drove Volume
- Combo/parlay-style trades were a material share of volume, with Kalshi reporting roughly $160M in combos on Sunday.
- App downloads spiked, showing these platforms drove new user acquisition alongside trade volume.
No House Doesn’t Mean No Market Makers
- Prediction markets operate peer-to-peer and emphasize 'no house' pricing, but rely on market makers and Wall Street firms for liquidity.
- That plumbing introduces familiar trading dynamics and risks like market-maker influence.
